Crowds swarm to simultaneous Michael Jackson film showings around world

Gallery: This Is It London premiere

In London, fans thronged Leicester Square for the 1am premiere, one of 19 which took place simultaneously in cities around the world. Some were close to tears as they left.

Film review: This Is It

"It's amazing to see him up there doing his thing," Michael's brother Jackie said after the premiere at the Nokia Theatre in LA, close to the Staples Centre where most of the footage was shot. "To see him up there doing his performance like that has brought a lot of tears to my eyes, sitting there watching him. Because I love him so much. That's why I keep this with me at all times in my pocket. It's a little token of him," he said, pulling out a white-glove key-ring fashioned after one of his brother's best-known accessories.

"It was closure for me," said Marlon Jackson. "And it was a moment where I just felt his spirit inside of me. And that made me feel good." Their sister La Toya Jackson dissented, saying her brother would have been upset because he wanted everything to be perfect and not to be seen in a rehearsal.

Gallery: This Is It LA premiere

Drawn from 100 hours of rehearsals, including one the day before Jackson's death on 25 June - just weeks before the 50-date residency at London's 02 was due to start - the film shows him keeping pace with backup dancers half his age during rehearsals for such hits as Thriller, Billie Jean and Beat It.

In London, Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity performed their own dance tribute in Leicester Square at a pre-premiere celebration hosted by Blue's Duncan James.

Ashiq Baluch, 21, from east London, said afterwards: "It was amazing. I'm so emotional after seeing that. I just wish I could have been there to see him live. I wish I could have seen that on stage."